Behind Ajit Pawar's outburst: Pune IT Park's woes, and Mahayuti govt's scramble

Indian Express

6 days ago

A major money spinner for Pune and Maharashtra, the Information Technology hub of Hinjewadi has been grappling with numerous infrastructure problems of late. And, with several IT companies threatening to leave the area for Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the matter has become a pressing concern for the Mahayuti government, inviting criticism from the Opposition.
That the government is not taking this matter lightly became apparent when Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar landed up in Hinjewadi early morning on July 26 to conduct an inspection. When a local sarpanch pleaded with him not to widen a road, saying several families would be affected, Pawar chided him. 'If things do not improve, Hinjewadi (IT Park) will move to Bengaluru and Hyderabad,' he said, directing officials to act against anyone attempting to obstruct infrastructure work in the IT hub.
'I will be visiting Hinjewadi to take stock of the progress made every 15 days. Officials should not allow any obstructions from anyone while improving the infrastructure in the IT hub,' said the Deputy CM.
Between 5-7 lakh people employed at the IT Park, which was established in 2000, have been facing problems during their commute for the past 10 years, including long traffic snarls, waterlogging, and power outages. Last month, as rain pounded Pune district, key roads in the IT hub went underwater, leaving IT employees stranded for hours. This led Wakad-Pimpri-Chinchwad Residents Development Welfare Association head Sachin Londhe, who works in a company in the area, to petition the Bombay High Court and launch a social media campaign that gained traction.
Worried about the poor optics and the prospect of companies fleeing to other states, the Devendra Fadnavis government held an urgent meeting with them on July 10 and announced that a Single Point Authority led by the Divisional Commissioner would be set up to coordinate the efforts of different agencies to address problems in the IT Park.Following the government's directives, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, which is in charge of the road network in the IT Park along with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, has demolished around 200 commercial and residential structures in the last couple of weeks in a bid to widen roads.
'Currently, we are surveying the structures on nullahs and streams. After this, action will be initiated against them … The PMRDA is committed to ensuring good, wide roads and, at the same time, providing good infrastructure for IT and other companies in Hinjewadi,' said PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase.
The government's concerns come in the backdrop of the Opposition's pointed criticism in the past about Maharashtra losing industrial projects to neighbouring Gujarat during the Mahayuti government's tenure. In July 2022, after the Eknath Shinde government came to power, it was announced that Foxconn's semiconductor joint venture with Indian conglomerate Vedanta would come up in the state. However, two years later, Vedanta and Foxconn moved the semiconductor and display production plant to Gujarat, months before the elections in the state. This provided the Opposition a line of attack as it alleged that Maharashtra had been deprived of jobs to benefit Gujarat. Soon afterwards, Maharashtra also lost out on a Tata-Airbus and a bulk drugs manufacturing project.
The Opposition was quick to target the government following Pawar's July 26 remarks. 'The BJP-led Mahayuti has nothing to do with development or addressing issues raised by IT employees. Hinjewadi has been craving for basic amenities. Ajit Pawar is the guardian minister of Pune district. What has he been doing all this time? What is the use of getting up at 6 am and making the media run after you? This is all a drama. Ajit Pawar speaks about development, but the anger of the IT employees in Hinjewadi has exposed his claim,' said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, in whose constituency Hinjewadi is located, said she had been urging the state government to take steps to improve basic amenities in the area. 'I have written letters, I have appealed to the government several times, I have protested, but the government has done little for Hinjewadi … Now, they seem to be waking up. One hopes the government this time will seriously address the issue of the IT employees,' she said.
Sule said she had urged the CM to encourage 'work from home' in Hinjewadi to reduce traffic snarls. 'Employees can come to work two days a week,' she said.
Congress spokesperson Gopal Tiwari alleged the Mahayuti government had done 'hardly anything for the IT Park'. 'The government is busy playing politics. Imagine a world-famous IT park and the pride of Maharashtra languishing without proper infrastructure. The government's attitude forced some employees to move to other states. And it is this fear that seems to have finally rattled the government,' he added.
One possible administrative change to resolve the problems, floated by BJP leaders, is bringing Hinjewadi under the jurisdiction of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). BJP MLA Mahesh Landge said the proposal was sent seven years ago. 'Because of Covid, there was no movement on the proposal. We are now hopeful that the government will give a green signal,' he said.
'We have demanded the inclusion of Hinjewadi and other areas in the PCMC limits. If Hinjewadi's development issues are to be addressed, the PCMC is capable of handling them … The government has promised to look into our demands,' said BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap.
Local stakeholders said things had started moving since the meeting with the government earlier this month. 'Things are finally happening in Hinjewadi. Unlike earlier, our issues are being addressed. Various government and civic departments now seem to be coordinating effectively,' Hinjewadi Industries Association official Shankar Salkar told The Indian Express.